Elders, doctors and consults
A few days ago I learned that doctors are in some settings expected to see 40 patients a day. What’s the math on 40 patients in a day?
Today I spoke with a couple of therapists about getting the doctor involved in elder care, specifically to give the family time for a consult and prognosis, and to take part in the quarterly plan of care meeting. One of them laughed at me and the other almost did. Doctors don’t do those things!
I continue to believe that doctors overwhelmingly have a heart for their patients, but the system demands they limit their minutes per patient. Who would want to become a doctor?
Maybe that is why doctors are easier for pharmaceutical companies to persuade than our prior generations of doctors were: what can you do to education patients for better self-health care or in therapeutic efforts and just plain ingenuity in a few minutes?
:- Doug.
